The invention relates to a brassiere to assist in infection control after breast surgery and to generally control microbes on the skin of a woman""s breast area.
Breast surgery may be undertaken for any of a number of reasons. A mastectomy (surgical removal of the breast) may be required to remove breast cancer. A biopsy such as an open excisional biopsy (lumpectomy) or needle aspiration may be used to obtain a sample of a suspected tumor for analysis. Mastopexy (breast lift) or breast augmentation may be undertaken for cosmetic reasons. Mammoplasty (breast reduction) may be undertaken for cosmetic reasons or to treat physical symptoms. Reconstructive surgery may restore the contour of a breast after accident or other surgery, or may be used to amend the contour of a healthy breast to match the contour of a breast changed by other surgery. As in all surgeries, surgeries of the breast share the characteristic that an incision or a penetration of the skin overlying the breast is required. As in all surgeries, surgeries of the breast involve a risk that bacteria or other infectious agents may travel through the skin penetration and cause an infection.
The control of microbes on the undergarments of a post-surgery patient, such as a brassiere of a breast surgery patient, helps to reduce infection and to improve the emotional well-being of the patient. A brassiere is worn continuously for many hours, providing a relatively warm, relatively moist environment in which microbes may multiply. The problem posed by microbes is exacerbated in the case of the post-operative breast surgery patient due to the fact that tenderness and loss of arm strength or mobility resulting from the breast surgery may make maintaining a high degree of personal cleanliness difficult for the patient. The control of microbes in the brassiere of a post-breast surgery patient further helps to prevent anxiety and to maintain the emotional well being of the patient by preventing odors or discoloration resulting from the presence of the microbes.
The Invention is a brassiere for use after breast surgery. Portions of the brassiere that may come in contact with the skin of a woman""s breast area include antimicrobial fibers. The antimicrobial fibers are synthetic fibers containing an ion exchange resin incorporating ions of the element silver. The silver in the ion exchange resin acts as a broad spectrum antimicrobial and kills or suppresses the growth of a wide variety of microbes on the skin of the woman""s breast area.
When worn by a woman who has undergone breast surgery, the silver in the fibers of the brassiere has an Inhibitory effect on microorganisms present on the skin of the breast area. The Invention thereby reduces the opportunity for infection of incisions in the breast area. The suppression of microorganisms on the skin and in the brassiere further serves to reduce odors and staining of the brassiere caused by microorganisms, improving the woman""s sense of well being.